It's All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree

by A.J. Jacobs

New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family?where it begins and how far it goes?and attempts to untangle the true meaning of the ?Family of Humankind.?
A.J. Jacobs has received some strange emails over the years, but this note was perhaps the New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes ...

It's All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree Reviews

Ken HeardJan 12, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

TODAY?S GUEST: A.J. Jacobs, author, ?It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree,? and his wife, Julie Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is always a great guest because he is always getting himself into situations that most people would want to avoid.
You know, lik...

From the publisher -
New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family?where it begins and how far it goes?and attempts to untangle the true meaning of th...

I really enjoyed this lighthearted look at the author's cousins genealogy project. ...

I'm not that interested in geneaology; I've often said I could hold a family reunion in a telephone booth because I have no living relatives and come from a tiny family tree (a sapling, so be it). I am the last branch on whatever family tree I'm involved in. That said, though, I will r...

LindaNov 16, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

lit.erary.brittJan 29, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

CarolFeb 23, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

JeaneneJan 23, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

TODAY?S GUEST: A.J. Jacobs, author, ?It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree,? and his wife, Julie Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is always a great guest because he is always getting himself into situations that most people would want to avoid.
You know, lik...

From the publisher -
New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family?where it begins and how far it goes?and attempts to untangle the true meaning of th...

I really enjoyed this lighthearted look at the author's cousins genealogy project. ...

CarynNov 01, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

Deb (Readerbuzz) NanceSep 16, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Bob AndelmanJan 23, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

TODAY?S GUEST: A.J. Jacobs, author, ?It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree,? and his wife, Julie Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is always a great guest because he is always getting himself into situations that most people would want to avoid.
You know, lik...

Angel HenchAug 24, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

LieslSep 30, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

TODAY?S GUEST: A.J. Jacobs, author, ?It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree,? and his wife, Julie Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is always a great guest because he is always getting himself into situations that most people would want to avoid.
You know, lik...

From the publisher -
New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family?where it begins and how far it goes?and attempts to untangle the true meaning of th...

I really enjoyed this lighthearted look at the author's cousins genealogy project. ...

I'm not that interested in geneaology; I've often said I could hold a family reunion in a telephone booth because I have no living relatives and come from a tiny family tree (a sapling, so be it). I am the last branch on whatever family tree I'm involved in. That said, though, I will r...

AJ Jacobs is always good for an entertaining read, and this latest book is no exception. If you've listened to AJ's podcast Twice Removed you'll already have an idea of what you will get in this book. (And if you haven't listened be sure to check it out. It was a short lived podcast, b...

Very informative and humorous, which is par for the course from Jacobs. His latest social experiment is a deep dive into the world of genealogy, and I enjoyed learning about the various aspects of this field and following where Jacobs' curiosity-fueled quest about his family tree took ...

PeggyMay 18, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

TODAY?S GUEST: A.J. Jacobs, author, ?It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree,? and his wife, Julie Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is always a great guest because he is always getting himself into situations that most people would want to avoid.
You know, lik...

From the publisher -
New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family?where it begins and how far it goes?and attempts to untangle the true meaning of th...

I really enjoyed this lighthearted look at the author's cousins genealogy project. ...

I'm not that interested in geneaology; I've often said I could hold a family reunion in a telephone booth because I have no living relatives and come from a tiny family tree (a sapling, so be it). I am the last branch on whatever family tree I'm involved in. That said, though, I will r...

AJ Jacobs is always good for an entertaining read, and this latest book is no exception. If you've listened to AJ's podcast Twice Removed you'll already have an idea of what you will get in this book. (And if you haven't listened be sure to check it out. It was a short lived podcast, b...

Very informative and humorous, which is par for the course from Jacobs. His latest social experiment is a deep dive into the world of genealogy, and I enjoyed learning about the various aspects of this field and following where Jacobs' curiosity-fueled quest about his family tree took ...

A. J. Jacobs recounts how he brought another one of his over-the-top ideas to life. This time his interest in genealogy leads him to try to break the Guinness World Record for largest family reunion. ...

This was a fun and interesting read--especially for this genealogy enthusiast--but the ending felt a little rushed. I wanted to know more about the Global Family Reunion this project was all leading up to! ...

I enjoy A.J.'s books very much. He has an engaging style and makes most subject matter interesting and easy to understand. This one, his latest, is about a topic that I'm not super-interested in, but A.J. is a great storyteller and really brings characters to life. If you've read A.J. ...

Excellent primer on contemporary geneology/family science. I'm already a Jacobs fan and enjoy his cheeky humor in short form (magazine articles) but he was at his best when being serious about his immediate family and the power the past has over our present lives. Would have like more ...

A very fun look at what constitutes family and how it has changed over time. As someone who does genealogy research on my own family I really enjoyed the author's experiences as he traced his own family. A great primer for anyone thinking of doing their own genealogy research to show t...

Very disappointing. Fluffy, weak, and way too much of the author's personal story and cheesy humor. I don't know why I kept reading, I guess I kept hoping it would get better and that I would learn something about genealogy... or anything. Don't waste your time. ...

KarynJan 12, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

JDec 15, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

JennaSep 07, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

Blue Cypress BooksOct 12, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

TODAY?S GUEST: A.J. Jacobs, author, ?It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree,? and his wife, Julie Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is always a great guest because he is always getting himself into situations that most people would want to avoid.
You know, lik...

From the publisher -
New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family?where it begins and how far it goes?and attempts to untangle the true meaning of th...

I really enjoyed this lighthearted look at the author's cousins genealogy project. ...

I'm not that interested in geneaology; I've often said I could hold a family reunion in a telephone booth because I have no living relatives and come from a tiny family tree (a sapling, so be it). I am the last branch on whatever family tree I'm involved in. That said, though, I will r...

AJ Jacobs is always good for an entertaining read, and this latest book is no exception. If you've listened to AJ's podcast Twice Removed you'll already have an idea of what you will get in this book. (And if you haven't listened be sure to check it out. It was a short lived podcast, b...

Very informative and humorous, which is par for the course from Jacobs. His latest social experiment is a deep dive into the world of genealogy, and I enjoyed learning about the various aspects of this field and following where Jacobs' curiosity-fueled quest about his family tree took ...

A. J. Jacobs recounts how he brought another one of his over-the-top ideas to life. This time his interest in genealogy leads him to try to break the Guinness World Record for largest family reunion. ...

This was a fun and interesting read--especially for this genealogy enthusiast--but the ending felt a little rushed. I wanted to know more about the Global Family Reunion this project was all leading up to! ...

I enjoy A.J.'s books very much. He has an engaging style and makes most subject matter interesting and easy to understand. This one, his latest, is about a topic that I'm not super-interested in, but A.J. is a great storyteller and really brings characters to life. If you've read A.J. ...

Excellent primer on contemporary geneology/family science. I'm already a Jacobs fan and enjoy his cheeky humor in short form (magazine articles) but he was at his best when being serious about his immediate family and the power the past has over our present lives. Would have like more ...

KateSep 01, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

TODAY?S GUEST: A.J. Jacobs, author, ?It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree,? and his wife, Julie Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is always a great guest because he is always getting himself into situations that most people would want to avoid.
You know, lik...

From the publisher -
New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family?where it begins and how far it goes?and attempts to untangle the true meaning of th...

I really enjoyed this lighthearted look at the author's cousins genealogy project. ...

I'm not that interested in geneaology; I've often said I could hold a family reunion in a telephone booth because I have no living relatives and come from a tiny family tree (a sapling, so be it). I am the last branch on whatever family tree I'm involved in. That said, though, I will r...

AJ Jacobs is always good for an entertaining read, and this latest book is no exception. If you've listened to AJ's podcast Twice Removed you'll already have an idea of what you will get in this book. (And if you haven't listened be sure to check it out. It was a short lived podcast, b...

Very informative and humorous, which is par for the course from Jacobs. His latest social experiment is a deep dive into the world of genealogy, and I enjoyed learning about the various aspects of this field and following where Jacobs' curiosity-fueled quest about his family tree took ...

A. J. Jacobs recounts how he brought another one of his over-the-top ideas to life. This time his interest in genealogy leads him to try to break the Guinness World Record for largest family reunion. ...

This was a fun and interesting read--especially for this genealogy enthusiast--but the ending felt a little rushed. I wanted to know more about the Global Family Reunion this project was all leading up to! ...

I enjoy A.J.'s books very much. He has an engaging style and makes most subject matter interesting and easy to understand. This one, his latest, is about a topic that I'm not super-interested in, but A.J. is a great storyteller and really brings characters to life. If you've read A.J. ...

Benjamin ThomasAug 24, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Scottsdale Public LibraryOct 23, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Joe JonesAug 17, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

TODAY?S GUEST: A.J. Jacobs, author, ?It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree,? and his wife, Julie Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is always a great guest because he is always getting himself into situations that most people would want to avoid.
You know, lik...

From the publisher -
New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family?where it begins and how far it goes?and attempts to untangle the true meaning of th...

I really enjoyed this lighthearted look at the author's cousins genealogy project. ...

I'm not that interested in geneaology; I've often said I could hold a family reunion in a telephone booth because I have no living relatives and come from a tiny family tree (a sapling, so be it). I am the last branch on whatever family tree I'm involved in. That said, though, I will r...

AJ Jacobs is always good for an entertaining read, and this latest book is no exception. If you've listened to AJ's podcast Twice Removed you'll already have an idea of what you will get in this book. (And if you haven't listened be sure to check it out. It was a short lived podcast, b...

Very informative and humorous, which is par for the course from Jacobs. His latest social experiment is a deep dive into the world of genealogy, and I enjoyed learning about the various aspects of this field and following where Jacobs' curiosity-fueled quest about his family tree took ...

A. J. Jacobs recounts how he brought another one of his over-the-top ideas to life. This time his interest in genealogy leads him to try to break the Guinness World Record for largest family reunion. ...

This was a fun and interesting read--especially for this genealogy enthusiast--but the ending felt a little rushed. I wanted to know more about the Global Family Reunion this project was all leading up to! ...

I enjoy A.J.'s books very much. He has an engaging style and makes most subject matter interesting and easy to understand. This one, his latest, is about a topic that I'm not super-interested in, but A.J. is a great storyteller and really brings characters to life. If you've read A.J. ...

Excellent primer on contemporary geneology/family science. I'm already a Jacobs fan and enjoy his cheeky humor in short form (magazine articles) but he was at his best when being serious about his immediate family and the power the past has over our present lives. Would have like more ...

A very fun look at what constitutes family and how it has changed over time. As someone who does genealogy research on my own family I really enjoyed the author's experiences as he traced his own family. A great primer for anyone thinking of doing their own genealogy research to show t...

SarahJan 12, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

TODAY?S GUEST: A.J. Jacobs, author, ?It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree,? and his wife, Julie Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is always a great guest because he is always getting himself into situations that most people would want to avoid.
You know, lik...

From the publisher -
New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family?where it begins and how far it goes?and attempts to untangle the true meaning of th...

I really enjoyed this lighthearted look at the author's cousins genealogy project. ...

I'm not that interested in geneaology; I've often said I could hold a family reunion in a telephone booth because I have no living relatives and come from a tiny family tree (a sapling, so be it). I am the last branch on whatever family tree I'm involved in. That said, though, I will r...

AJ Jacobs is always good for an entertaining read, and this latest book is no exception. If you've listened to AJ's podcast Twice Removed you'll already have an idea of what you will get in this book. (And if you haven't listened be sure to check it out. It was a short lived podcast, b...

Very informative and humorous, which is par for the course from Jacobs. His latest social experiment is a deep dive into the world of genealogy, and I enjoyed learning about the various aspects of this field and following where Jacobs' curiosity-fueled quest about his family tree took ...

A. J. Jacobs recounts how he brought another one of his over-the-top ideas to life. This time his interest in genealogy leads him to try to break the Guinness World Record for largest family reunion. ...

This was a fun and interesting read--especially for this genealogy enthusiast--but the ending felt a little rushed. I wanted to know more about the Global Family Reunion this project was all leading up to! ...

Beth JusinoDec 06, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

MelkiJun 18, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

JanetOct 22, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

TODAY?S GUEST: A.J. Jacobs, author, ?It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree,? and his wife, Julie Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is always a great guest because he is always getting himself into situations that most people would want to avoid.
You know, lik...

From the publisher -
New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family?where it begins and how far it goes?and attempts to untangle the true meaning of th...

WandaJan 09, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

JeimyJan 15, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

TODAY?S GUEST: A.J. Jacobs, author, ?It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree,? and his wife, Julie Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is always a great guest because he is always getting himself into situations that most people would want to avoid.
You know, lik...

From the publisher -
New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family?where it begins and how far it goes?and attempts to untangle the true meaning of th...

I really enjoyed this lighthearted look at the author's cousins genealogy project. ...

I'm not that interested in geneaology; I've often said I could hold a family reunion in a telephone booth because I have no living relatives and come from a tiny family tree (a sapling, so be it). I am the last branch on whatever family tree I'm involved in. That said, though, I will r...

AJ Jacobs is always good for an entertaining read, and this latest book is no exception. If you've listened to AJ's podcast Twice Removed you'll already have an idea of what you will get in this book. (And if you haven't listened be sure to check it out. It was a short lived podcast, b...

Very informative and humorous, which is par for the course from Jacobs. His latest social experiment is a deep dive into the world of genealogy, and I enjoyed learning about the various aspects of this field and following where Jacobs' curiosity-fueled quest about his family tree took ...

A. J. Jacobs recounts how he brought another one of his over-the-top ideas to life. This time his interest in genealogy leads him to try to break the Guinness World Record for largest family reunion. ...

AnnSep 16, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

JordanNov 15, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

At best, a very light introduction to genealogy and the world family tree.
Not recommended for anyone with experience in genealogy seeking any insight. ...

Who could get me to read an entire book about genealogy, without holding me hostage and/or threatening bodily harm? The list is very short, and A.J. Jacobs? name is right at the top.
He admits that it?s a topic he became interested in only after he had kids, and became old en...

A.J. relates (pun totally intended!) his journey of finding his and the worlds? proverbial and literal, shallow and deep family roots in It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree. An Israeli dairy farmer sends an e-mail to A.J. stating how he is a distant ...

Funny, interesting and educational; I was sticking post it notes throughout the book. I'm excited to look further into my family tree. ...

TODAY?S GUEST: A.J. Jacobs, author, ?It?s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World?s Family Tree,? and his wife, Julie Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is always a great guest because he is always getting himself into situations that most people would want to avoid.
You know, lik...

From the publisher -
New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family?where it begins and how far it goes?and attempts to untangle the true meaning of th...

I really enjoyed this lighthearted look at the author's cousins genealogy project. ...

I'm not that interested in geneaology; I've often said I could hold a family reunion in a telephone booth because I have no living relatives and come from a tiny family tree (a sapling, so be it). I am the last branch on whatever family tree I'm involved in. That said, though, I will r...

AJ Jacobs is always good for an entertaining read, and this latest book is no exception. If you've listened to AJ's podcast Twice Removed you'll already have an idea of what you will get in this book. (And if you haven't listened be sure to check it out. It was a short lived podcast, b...

Daniel ChaikinApr 14, 2018

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

RandeeNov 19, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

Alex O'BrienDec 03, 2017

This is one I picked up solely because of the author. I have no real interest in genealogy, but I'm ALWAYS interested in a new book by A.J. Jacobs. His books are packed with fascinating facts and tidbits. This one, however, is on a more personal level, and much of the information is ab...

Not what I was expecting and didn't find it that funny. ...

This book was interesting and amusing in some places, but I didn't get the sense that this was an A.J. Jacobs' usual in-depth ultra-obsessed project book. This felt more like A.J. Jacobs-lite. It did get me looking into my family history, which I'm thankful for. I've learned that my gr...

I would call this a book about genealogy for people who aren?t really all that interested in the subject. It is genealogy lite. Which is not to say that it isn?t a good book or that I didn?t like it. I enjoyed it a great deal.
I?ve been doing genealogy since I was a teenager...

I have loved everything A. J. Jacobs has written so far, and I'm happy to say that I loved his new book, It's All Relative, too. Jacobs takes on huge personal projects in his writing. This time, he takes on genealogy. He does all the DNA tests, and researches his family members from th...

Meh.
This would have been better if it spent more time exploring genetics, family trees, and human connections, and less time complaining about party planning. ...

I love AJ Jacobs but this wasn?t quite as strong as his other experimental ventures. I thought the idea of a global family reunion was pretty ridiculous, but the genealogy bits were interesting, and as always, his writing was very witty and fun. I know next to nothing about my family...

Couldn't finish this one. Stopped at Chapter 10: Should Families Be Abolished. In this chapter, the author discusses the idea that instead of being building blocks of society, families are actually bad because they encourage an us-versus-them mentality. All people of goodwill should de...

For those readers like me who have experienced an AJ Jacobs book before, we know that he has a seriously curious mind. And he doesn?t think small. This time around, he has been thinking of his own ancestors and the concept of the World Family Tree (i.e. that we are all, in essence ?...

Disclaimer: I first need to say that the fact the author and I are cousins in no way influenced me to give this book a good review. (If you don't believe we're related, read the book and find out!)
I don't care what anyone says, it can be good to judge a book by its cover. I opened ...

I became a fan of AJ Jacobs after finishing his first book, The Know-it-All. He expertly is able to combine humor with factual info and make a subject you wouldn?t expect to find entertaining, well, entertaining.
His newest book starts with the idea that we are all related. It?s...

18. It's All Relative : Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree (audio) by A. J. Jacobs
read by the author
published: 2017
format: 8:07 overdrive audiobook (~225 pages, 336 pages in hardcover)
acquired: Library
listened: Apr 3-11
rating: 2
Not much to this. This is my f...

Did you know that we share an estimated 99.9% of DNA with each other? Did you know that most homo sapiens have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA? Or an atom of Beethoven's? How about that we share 88% of the same DNA with mice?
If information like this fascinates you, you'll li...

An interesting and funny account of Jacobs' efforts to research his ancestors, prepare a global family tree, and stage the world's biggest reunion. The book is well-written and will serve as a good guide for budding genealogists, but it's not as deep in content as Jacobs' previous work...

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About the author

A.J. Jacobs

A.J. Jacobs is a New York Times bestselling author, Esquire editor and human guinea pig.

Among Jacobs life experiments:--The Know-It-All. The bestselling memoir of the year he spent reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica in a quest to become the smartest person in the world.--The Year of Living Biblically. The bestseller about his life as the ultimate biblical man. He followed every rule of the Bible, from the Ten Commandments down to stoning adulterers.--"My Outsourced Life". An Esquire article about hiring a team of people in Bangalore, India to live his life for him answer his emails, call his coworkers, argue with his wife, and read bedtime stories to his son.--"My Life as a Hot Woman". A quest to find his beautiful nanny a boyfriend. The method? By impersonating her on an online dating site.--"I Think Youre Fat". An immersion into the bizarre, entertaining and terrifying world of Radical Honesty which means removing the filter between your brain and mouth.

Jacobs is the editor at large at Esquire magazine. He has written for The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, New York magazine and Dental Economics magazine, one of the top five magazines about the financial side of toothcare.

In 2004, Simon & Schuster plublished the Know-It-All. It subsequently spent eight weeks on the New York Times paperback bestseller list. It was praised by Time magazine, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, USA Today, Janet Maslin in the New York Times and AJs uncle Henry on Amazon.com.

Jacobs has appeared on Oprah, The Today Show, Good Morning America and the second-to-last episode of the John McEnroe Show on MSNBC, which also featured Dionne Warwick wearing a fannypack.

He is a periodic commentator on NPRs Weekend Edition Saturday, where he discusses important facts, such as the fact that oppossums have 13 nipples.

In the fall of 2007, the Year of Living Biblically was released. It appeared on the NYT bestseller list, and was praised by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, The New York Times Book Review, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today and others. It appeared on the cover of the evangelical magazine Relevant, but was also featured in Penthouse. (Jacobs is proud to be a uniter, not a divider). It will be released in paperback on September 9, 2008.

Jacobs has signed on to write two more books for Simon & Schuster. The first is called Life Is an Experiment, and will contain both original essays and previously published pieces, including My Outsourced Life, Jacobs quest to delegate every task in his life to India. The second is called The Healthiest Human Being in the World and it continues Jacobs experiential journalism series as he tries to perfect his physical condition while simultaneously dissecting the meaning of the word healthiest.

Jacobs grew up in New York City. His father is a lawyer who holds the world record for the most footnotes in a law review article (4,824). His wife works for a highbrow scavenger hunt called Watson Adventures. He lives in New York. He wonders if he fooled anyone with this third-person thing, or if everyone knows that he wrote this bio himself.